Parents warned of suspicious driver approaching children

Letter sent home to parents last week

The Conway, N.H., Police Department and Maine School Administrative District 72 are warning parents about a suspicious driver who approached elementary school students.

In a letter sent home to parents on Friday, Superintendent Gary MacDonald said the driver of a red Honda Civic approached students in Stow-Fryeburg Harbor area Thursday afternoon and Friday morning..

The superintendent said the car had New Jersey license plates at the time of the first incident, and the plates were concealed in the second incident.

The letter said the driver was wearing a Red Sox cap, gray sweat shirt and blue jeans both days.

Conway police said that a driver and vehicle matching the same description were seen at Doloff Pond on Friday at noon.

Conway police said they want to spread the word after they got a call that a man matching the description was in a red Civic with another person at Doloff Pond near Freyburg.

"We have a large school-age population, and that's a scary thing, not only for parents, but the police as well," said Lt. Christopher Perley of the Conway police. "We don't want any harm to come to the children."

"One of the safest practices any parent can do is make sure your child is supervised at a bus stop until the bus picks the children up," he added. "It can be an inconvenience. It can be difficult to coordinate with work and other responsibilities, but it is so important to safeguard the children in those areas."

Police and the school district are asking anyone who sees the vehicle approach children to call 911.

The school district said it has told its bus drivers to look out for any suspicious activity, and Conway police are urging parents to make sure children are supervised while they wait for the bus.

The information has many area parents concerned for their children's safety.

"They could walk home because we just live right around the corner, but I prefer to pick them up," said Lorraine Towne, whose 7- and 11-year-olds attend Charles A. Snow Elementary. "The first thing I did (after receiving the letter) was talk to my kids and let them know what was going on and not to try to scare them, but to let them be aware not to talk to strangers."

MacDonald said he sent the letter to parents to let them know that the matter is being taken seriously by administrators.

"I would urge parents to be very careful, talk to their kids, and we'll certainly be talking about it in school, but we also don't want to create a panic because we try to verify and let people know it's happening," he said.

MacDonald said no other incidents have been reported since Friday. He said in addition to the letter going home to parents, the district attorney's office and state police were notified.